the most obscure and perplexing subjects. The "Cases" were selected with
great judgment out of the many thousands contained in the Reports; and
whether he confirms, or questions, or illustrates the doctrine
established by the case upon which he is annotating, he exhibits the
same modest freedom, masterly ease, accuracy, and subtlety of
discrimination, distinctness of thought, and complete familiarity with
the progress of legal decision. Every note, in short, is a model of
legal analysis; and the style, also, is pure, simple, terse, and
perspicuous. He dedicated this work to his former tutor Mr. Blick: and I
recollect our having a long discussion upon the original terms of the
dedication; which were these, "To Richard Granger Blick, Esq., this work
is inscribed by his obliged friend and pupil." I suggested the insertion
of the word "_former_," before "pupil:" without which, I said, it might
appear that the work had been written by one still in _statu pupillari_.
He was a man always difficult to convince of the impropriety of any
thing on which he had once determined. He quitted my chamber unconvinced
by what I had said: but the dedication afterwards appeared in accordance
with my suggestion. I recollect being highly amused by the pertinacious
ingenuity with which he defended his own view of the case. The fame of
this work was not, however, confined to this country, but soon reached
the United States of America, where it immediately met with the most
flattering reception, and is at this moment accounted an established
text-book, and quoted as an authority by their best writers and judges.
I recollect Mr. Smith one day coming to me, and asking me, with a quaint
mixture of mystery, pleasure, and embarrassment, if I would "be sure not
to mention to any one what he was going to tell me:" and on my promising
him that I would not, he showed me a letter which he had just received
from that eminent American jurist, Mr. Justice Story, himself one of the
most elaborate and successful, legal writers of his age, and whose works
are continually cited by both Bench and Bar in their country, with the